The exploits and ponderings of aspiring novelist Al Burke

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My Promise to You

I have been rather slack recently in my writing adventure. I’ve done a little promotion on-line, but after a solid January where I managed 13,000 words or so, I did next to nothing over the last couple of months, including neglecting my blog.

Now it’s mid-April, and it’s time to get back on the word-wagon again. First on my list of things to do is focus on what to finish first.

That will likely be my short stories. The stories are based on Irish folklore with a horror twist, which most folklore should have. I’m about halfway through at the moment, which is good, as I had intended to have one book finished by June, so I’m off to a good start.

I’ve been enjoying writing these stories so far. I remember hearing them as a kid and as I write, I can feel the same prickle of fear as when I heard them the first time. Sweet! I’ve thrown in some of my own personal experiences to lend a little flavour, but I wonder whether they will scare anyone else.

After that will likely be a novel based on Irish legend – the Second Battle of Moytura to be precise. If you haven’t heard of this before, don’t worry too much, I’ll fill you in as we go along. I’ve put a little twist on it, so don’t feel the need to bone up on it beforehand.

I’ll come back in a few days with a brief look at Moytura – it’s got giants!!

Aside from that, due to my gross procrastination, I have read a bunch of (adult) books this year. Here’s the list so far, with a one line (or so) review:

Godslayer, by Jacqueline Carey – epic fantasy told from the perspective of the bad guys. One of my favourites – 9/10

The Way of Shadows, by Brent Weeks – this was a solid read for dark fantasy enthusiasts in which the heroes are wetboys (assassins) – 8/10

Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff – an interesting take on the writings of HP Lovecraft, with the protagonists an African-American family who battle racism as well as dark magic. The splintered narrative lets it down some – 7/10

Vs Reality, by Blake Northcott – not necessarily my kind of thing, with budding superheroes being tracked down by a secret agency (wait, maybe it is my thing). Enjoyable nonetheless – 7/10

Rising, by Brian Rella – a horror prequel about the rise of demonic forces in the world. Short, but a taster for what is to come – 7/10

The Skewed Throne, by Joshua Palmatier – more assassin-fuelled heroism, this time a young girl who questions her orders as she has a knack for seeing people’s moral compass (for want of a better explanation). More grimdark (I sense a trend) – 7/10

Nemesis – by Stephen Michael Fuchs – again, a prequel. Again, not really my thing, with a US special forces team stuck in ground zero of the Zombie Apocalypse. The frenetic pace disguises the stereotypes – 7/10

The Ragged Man, by Tom Lloyd – I love the Twilight Reign series, and the fourth instalment didn’t disappoint. Compelling plots and interesting characters earn it a – 9/10

The Destroyer, by Michael Scott Earle – an interesting fantasy tale that teetered too often between great and mediocre – 6/10

Malice, by John Gwynne – a strong start to an epic fantasy series spanning four books, with some good characters and chin-scratching plots – 8/10